The much-maligned 2022 superhero film Morbius, starring Jared Leto, has found an audience on Netflix, securing a place in the top ten films in six countries, including the UK, Germany, and Ireland.
The film’s popularity on the streaming platform may raise eyebrows. Despite being panned by critics and labelled as one of the worst superhero movies of the year, Leto had managed to create a lot of hype around Morbius, especially among the last few supporters of method acting.
Directed by Daniel Espinosa, Morbius is the third instalment in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU), based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. The film follows Dr. Michael Morbius, played by Leto, a scientist with a rare blood disease. Morbius conducts a drastic experiment to cure himself, leading to unforeseen consequences. The movie’s plot revolves around Morbius and his surrogate brother Milo (Matt Smith), who both become living vampires after attempting to cure their blood disease.
The critical reception of Morbius has been overwhelmingly negative, with Rotten Tomatoes giving it a mere 15 per cent approval rating. Critics cite uninspired effects, performances, and a borderline nonsensical story as major drawbacks. The film’s box office performance also fell short, grossing only $167.5million worldwide.
Jared Leto has had a promising career start with notable performances in films like Requiem for a Dream. However, the tides on his stardom’s shores have shifted over the years. From speculations about being an aspiring cult leader to being called “Hollywood’s oddest, most annoying star” by the Telegraph UK, Leto has what Public Relations professionals would call an image issue.
The actor’s reputation may have taken a hit off-screen; however, on streaming, particularly on Netflix, for casual viewers of films that have tons of action and the comforts of formulaic familiarity, a film like Morbius is an easy winner.
In the end, Morbius stands as symptomatic of streaming entertainment—a critical and commercial failure on the big screen but a surprising hit on the small screen. But, you can watch Morbius on Netflix and catch the trailer here:
